History

Chapter Twelve

~Gabriel's POV~

I've known my brothers for a long time now. Feel like I know everything about them. Sure, we have our individual personalities, likes, and dislikes, but the overall core of who these men are? I know them. The fact that one of them was able to hide something so significant from us? Shakes me to my core.

What else have my brothers been hiding from us?

Unable to keep the thoughts from plaguing me, I burst out.

"What the fuck, dude? How did you hide her from us? Keep us from finding out about her?"

Kota looks at Sang who looks back at him then turns to Sean who is gazing at both of them with understanding and sadness. How in the world can they all be so calm right now? I'm freaking out and this doesn't even affect me. Kota has been away from his motherfucking KID for six years! And his baby momma. There has to be SOME kind of emotion rattling around in that brilliant mind of his.

Sean too. That man may be able to hide behind his flirty smiles and innuendos, but that's all it is. A mask. He is one of the more emotional ones out of our group. Just easier to hide it away. There is no way that he isn't feeling torn in several different directions with these revelations.

Looking at the product of Sang and Kota, I'm surprised he didn't put it together sooner. Though if things were as bad as I'm suspecting they were all those years ago, then maybe Sang doesn't talk about the circumstances leading up to raising a child on her own. If Sean never pressured her for answers, which I'm sure he wouldn't because that isn't the type of man he is, then there would be no reason for him to assume that Sang had known Kota prior to this and that Jameson was his kid. It's only now that they are side by side that the similarities are hard to ignore. He is the perfect combination of them both.

I can't wait to get a hold of him and dress him. Though looking at that three piece suit, the boy already has a great sense of fashion. I wonder if that is Sang's doing?

My thoughts are broken by Kota speaking up once more.

"Sang," is all he gets out before the person he was just talking about interrupts.

"Maybe if they hear it from me, they will get a better understanding."

Kota nods his acceptance and she begins to speak. Her voice is soft with a commanding tone.

"How I grew up shaped me in a lot of ways. I was scared of anything and everything, my own shadow even. My stepmother was a violent woman who only got worse has her cancer progressed. Many days I would hear about how men would use me for their nefarious deeds with just a simple look from me.

"I didn't do well with confrontation. I only met Kota because I wanted to prove to myself that people weren't as heinous as my stepmother made them out to be. It didn't help that Ashley Waters seemed to be proving all of her theories correct. Kota wormed his way in slowly by being exactly what I needed even if I hadn't known it at the time. But I was still terrified, mainly because of the punishments I was receiving at home. It didn't matter what I was doing or not doing, punishments would find their way across my body at the hands of my stepmother. When Kota opened up his home, himself, and eventually his family, I started to learn that I could open up myself. That I could lean on someone and share the burden of what I was experiencing.

"Being at Ashley Waters, Kota and I had made the decision that we wouldn't acknowledge one another. I hadn't understood Kota's reasoning at the time, but I knew I wanted to keep a low profile in that school. Kota had gained a lot of attention, all of you had, and it solidified my need to stay away. "

Several of us made noises of protest at the fact that she knew about us, but she continues to speak as though nothing happened.

"Plus my sister attended the same school and I didn't want to give her any reason to use me against my stepmother. If something I did allowed for Marie to escape then she would exploit it without shame. Opening myself up wasn't easy. Kota can attest to that fact. Him bringing more people into my life, into the situation I was in at the time, wouldn't have been of any help. I would have pulled away. More than likely it would have resulted in my death as well."

Her eyes go to Kota's and wetness shines there, as do Kota's. There is a story there, one I'd love to know about, but have a feeling it is too heart-breaking for any of us to deal with at the moment. I look to her son to see how he is dealing with all of this and he is just clutching the arms of Kota and Sean, unwilling to let either of them go, but his eyes are on his mother. Something tells me he knows what she endured growing up, or at least the most basic of its details, and it has shaped the woman she is today and how she chooses to raise him.

"How I grew up, I learned to keep a low profile. Staying hidden and quiet. It's no surprise that you didn't notice me."

Her eyes scan the room, widening in shock when they land on Silas.

"Though, it seems that some of you still noticed me despite my trying."

"Hi, aggele mou."

"Silas. How have you been?"

"Just fine. And you, little momma?"

A blush coats her cheeks, highlighting her already bright eyes.

She seems to stutter a bit before taking a deep breath and getting herself under control.

"Struggling, but getting there."

The answer is so honest that only silence greets her declaration. Even Kota is shocked by her answer. I think the girl he had known six years ago wouldn't have been so open with her emotions. And listening to what she was telling us about what it was like back then, I don't get that feeling either. She really has grown a lot since then. Probably in part to what she went through and becoming a mother.

Her eyes flick around once more and land on North. Her head tilts to the side as she studies him closer. A look of familiarity seems to color her eyes, but they squint as if she can't place how or why.

"Baby." His voice is gruff, but it seems to trigger whatever Sang had seen when she looked at him.

"Homeroom and History, right?"

"Yeah. You were a slippery one. I'll give you that." North chuckles, causing Sang to redden even further.

"You two were the hardest to stay away from. When I realized you were friends with Kota, I doubled my efforts. I knew you would be just like Kota and want to help me with my home situation, pulling you from what you were doing at the school. I was already splitting Kota's time and attention, there was no reason to divide everyone else's as well. You guys are pretty intense."

I chuckle at her assessment. Yeah, we are a lot to handle.